Title: Poisoned River

Description: The Pine River is found in central Michigan, near Alma College's campus. Following the closure of the Velsicol Chemical Plant in 1978, many environmental pollutants -- including DDT and its derivatives -- were improperly disposed of and leached into the surroundings, thus coining the name, the Poisoned River. These organochlorides are endocrine disruptors and possible carcinogens have wreaked havoc on the local ecosystem. More than this population were affected. Our solution: a biosensor that uses estrogen receptors to detect these harmful pollutants. Several species of animals have estrogen receptors known to bind DDT, a known xenoestrogen. Linking this to a reporting gene, such as RFP, within a microbe will allow the detection of organochlorides. This can lead to the screening of contaminated areas locally and globally. Ultimately, this biosensor has the potential to save thousands of dollars in not only our superfund sites, but pollution cleanup effort across the globe.

Wiki

Title: Poisoned River

Abstract: The Pine River is found in central Michigan, near the campus of Alma College. Following the closure of the Velsicol Chemical Plant in 1978, many environmental pollutants -- such as DDT -- were improperly disposed of and allowed to leach into the surrounding soil and Pine River. These organochlorides are endocrine disruptors as well as possible carcinogens that have wreaked havoc on the local avian population. Several species of animals have estrogen receptors known to bind DDT, a known xenoestrogen. Linking this binding process to a reporting gene, such as RFP, within a microbe will allow for the detection of organochlorides, which can enhance broad spectrum screening of these contaminated areas both locally and globally. Ultimately, this biosensor has the potential to save thousands of dollars in the pollution cleanup effort as well as provide a basis for the development of future synthetic biology tools for the bioremediation of DDT.

Wiki | Project Promotion

Title: Unraveling a Poisoned River

Description: Contaminated chemical waste is invading waterways, polluting soil beds, and devastating ecosystems from one prominent source–the Pine River–due to the destructive toxin DDT. Alma College iGEM is providing a cost-effective fluorescent biosensor that is able to detect levels of DDT pollution in affected soil samples in less than six hours. This progressive synthetic biological engineering approach delivers a higher quality of life to all impacted by chemical waste pollution.

Wiki

UPDATE: Dr. James Bowley has been FIRED by Millsaps College. What a complete outrage against the fundamental values of the academy. I can't express how sad and furious I am - how utterly ashamed of my alma for betraying the very values taught to me there.

Millsaps College - https://millsaps.edu/

You can contact President Neville - frank.neville@millsaps.edu
You can contact Interim Provost Rolph - rolphsc@millsaps.edu
The office of the president can be reached at 601.974.1001

Please ensure that any contact with Millsaps College is professional.

Read the letter from FIRE here - https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/fire-letter-millsaps-college-december-18-2024

"Dear Interim Provost Rolph and President Neville,

I am reaching out to in support of Prof. James Bowley. Along with many others, I am demanding that you immediately reinstate, compensate him for damages and publicly apologize to James Bowley.

Signed

"

at around 6:49 I say "interim-President Rolph" that should have been "interim-provost Rolph"